Public relief program in TSC, 7 crores 78 lakhs collected in 7 days

Millions of people have been trapped in water due to ongoing floods in 11 districts of the country. Rescue operation and relief distribution program in the flood-affected districts has started from Thursday in Dhaka University Student-Teacher Center (TSC) to stand by these people. They have received an unprecedented response in the last seven days.

People of different classes, professions and age groups participate in this ongoing public relief program. Programs like medical care and mass cooking were added later. From dry food to medicines and clothes, all the daily necessities are being provided to the flood victims. In the last seven days, 82 trucks loaded with relief have already been sent to the flood-affected areas.

In the public relief program of the anti-discrimination student movement in DU, a total of more than 7 crore rupees has been collected in the last seven days and up to 9 pm on Wednesday. In addition, 71 lakh 20 thousand 644 taka has been spent in various sectors for relief activities during this time.

These facts were presented at a press conference organized by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at Dhaka University's TSC on Wednesday (August 28) night.

In the press conference, Abdul Quader, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, said, 'The anti-discrimination student movement announced the public relief collection program to deal with the severe floods that occurred in the southern region of Bangladesh from last August 21 and the resulting humanitarian disaster. From August 22, collection of cash and necessary materials started through a booth at Dhaka University's TSC. As a result of the unprecedented response to the said program, our program is ongoing with Daksu Cafeteria and Central Field.

Regarding the collection of money in seven days, he said, 'From last August 22 to August 28 at 9 pm, we collected 6 crore 68 lakh 50 thousand 100 taka in cash. Besides, 83 lakh 88 thousand 388 taka was collected through mobile banking till 9 pm on the same date. Meanwhile, 26 lakh 37 thousand 790 taka was collected through banking from August 22 to August 28 at 9 pm. In total, a total of 7 crore 78 lakh 76 thousand 278 taka has been collected.

Out of the total money collected, Tk 5 crore 84 lakh 17 thousand 147 has been deposited in the Sonali Bank branch of Dhaka University, said Lutfar Rahman, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement.

Meanwhile, it is reported that 71 lakh 20 thousand 644 rupees have been spent on various items such as dates, mudri, biscuits, jaggery, ropes, carts, pens, rickshaws, vans, polythene, sacks, sugar as relief items from the money collected.

Regarding the ongoing relief program and mass cooking program from Wednesday, coordinator Abu Bakr Majumder said, “Dry food and medicine packages needed for a family are made using materials collected and purchased from Dhaka University TSC.

800-1200 such packages and 20-30 cases of water are supplied by truck. Besides, the relief program conducted in the flood-affected areas from August 22 to August 28 till 9 pm where more than 1 lakh packages have been sent through 82 trucks. Out of this, under the supervision of the Bangladesh Air Force, 4,000 packages have been distributed to remote flood-affected areas by helicopter and cash assistance of Tk 5,96,500 has been given.

Regarding the mass cooking program, he said, “Our mass cooking program has provided food for about 50,000 people in 4 upazilas of Comilla and Paikgacha in Khulna with the help of the local administration, and from Thursday, the same program will be adopted in other flood-affected districts.”

Salahuddin/sa